A former senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Senate, Shehu Sani has urged President Bola Tinubu not to be part of any invasion of Niger Republic following the recent coup d’etat in the country.
Sani on Monday gave 13 reasons why Nigerians must not support any armed invasion of the neighbouring country.
Listing the reasons on his Twitter handle, Sani said, “Ecowas armed invasion of Niger Republic is simply a war between Nigeria and Niger because of our proximity.
“Russia and Wagner May come in support of Niger Republic and Nigeria will have to use its own money to prosecute the operation; Nigeria offsets 70percent of the budget of Ecowas. I don’t see the US Congress approving unlimited arm supplies for Ecowas to wage war against another country.
“Our Bordering states of Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa and Yobe will incur direct hit in the event of war.
“If there was no military action to dislodge the military coupists in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad, why that of Niger Republic?.
“Why did the American and French military bases inside Niger Republic refuse to stop the coup and now they are encouraging us to go to war?
“Niger has been helpful to Nigeria in the fight against terrorists groups and the country is currently hosting over 303 thousand Nigerian refugees; in the event of war, this can be in danger.
“President Tinubu should not allow himself to be pushed to initiate and trigger a war with a neighbouring country and later be left stranded.No west African country has any military capability to start or sustain a war with Niger Republic; everyone will be relying on Nigeria.
“We should not cry more than the bereaved; If the people of Niger Republic don’t want Military rule, let them fight to remove it themselves. We fought our own military rulers and some of us even went to jail in that struggle. Let them fight their fight.”
Other reasons are: “Saudi Arabia is still bugged down in Yemen after spending hundreds of billions of dollars which we don’t have.
“The Military Regime in Myanmar is still there and not one stronger nation is contemplating military action.
“We have a war at home against terrorism let’s concentrate here.
“Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinean forces will likely enter the war to Support Niger Republic and they will attack Nigerian territories.
“President Tinubu must continue to toe the line of dialogue with the military authorities in Niger and not War.”
On Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had directed the closure of land and air borders between member states and Niger Republic.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in response to the recent coup d’etat, which removed an elected president.
The Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS, earlier on Sunday, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military in Niger Republic to restore ousted President Muhammed Bazoum to office.
Shortly after issuing the ultimatum, the ECOWAS imposed stiff restrictions to ensure its orders were obeyed.
The West African regional body ordered the freezing of all Niger Republic enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks in all ECOWAS member states.
The statement partly read in part: “ECOWAS imposes stiff restrictions, directs the following measures to take immediate effect on Niger Republic.
“Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS and Niger.
“Institution of ECOWAS no-flight zone to all commercial flights to and fro Niger.
“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger.
“Freeze all service transactions including energy transactions.
“Freeze assets of Niger Republic in all ECOWAS Central banks.
“Freeze all Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions.”
“Impose travel bans on the military officials and their families involved in the coup attempt including anyone who accepts to take a position in the military government,” it added.
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